Warrior mascot Fehoko brings aloha spirit to Montana-Western

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

It wasn't Aloha Stadium and the sun wasn't blazing like it might be this afternoon.

Vili Fehoko, the University of Hawai'i' mascot, performs bare-chested at Aloha Stadium but declined to do so in Dillon, Mont.

Fehoko's day job is an air conditioning installer for Ed Bryce, father of one of the 17 Hawai'i players on the University of Montana-Western football team, coached by Tommy Lee.

On University of Hawai'i's open week, Fehoko accompanied Bryce to Dillon, Mont., for Montana-Western's game against Montana State-Northern on Nov. 9. "We went up there to spread aloha," Fehoko said.

Fehoko and Bryce brought about 200 coconut head bands for gifts. Fehoko did his thing at the game, which was played in a snowstorm, and put on a special show for the Hawai'i players the following Monday.

He made one concession to the weather — he did not go bare-chested and wear his malo during the game. "Oh no," he said. "It was so-o-o cold."

Instead, he wore gloves and a heavy coat and drank hot chocolate.

Fehoko said that "Tommy Lee in Dillon is like June Jones here. He's the man. He turned the program around (from 2-8 last season to 9-3 this year)."

"He has hanai'd all those kids," Fehoko said. "He has the kids over to his big, beautiful house and he and his wife, Nani, have made them feel like they never left the island."

Tommy Lee is the older brother of Cal and Ron. He was offensive coordinator at Utah before he went to Montana-Western in 2001.

While Fehoko enjoyed his trip, he doesn't plan to give up his gig at UH games. "I love it. It's a blessing," he said.

Montana-Western sophomore Enoch McKeague (St. Louis '01) was chosen first-team all-conference defensive back and punt returner.

Freshman Joel Botelho (Castle '02) was chosen second-team kick returner and junior Saffrey Silva (Moanalua '00) was chosen second-team defensive back.